Clean and Prepare Fresh Carp for Dinner
| Carp meat is off-white in color, with a dark midlateral strip that’s often removed before cooking – it can infuse the meat with a strong, musky flavor. It is low in fat, firm in texture, and mild-though it can be muddy in flavor. The skin is edible but not particularly tasty. The flesh of the Common carp is dark and rich, Bighead carp have white and firm flesh. The Silver carp has a firm and white flesh, with free-floating bones, slightly translucent, and white and mild-tasting when cooked. Female carp flesh stays light and is softer and more delicate than male, and is usually preferred. Carp, cooked, dry heat fillet (6oz. / 170g.) provide Calories: 275, Protein: 38.9g, Carbohydrate: 0.0g, Total Fat: 12.2g, Fiber: 0.0g. It is an excellent source of: Potassium (726mg), Selenium (27.5mcg), Vitamin B12 (2.5mcg), and Vitamin E (15.3 IU), good source of: Magnesium (64.6mg). 100 grams of cooked (dry heat) carp provides 0.797 grams of Omega-3 fatty acids derived from Eicosapentaenoic Acid (0.305g), Docosahexaenoic Acid (0.146g), and Alpha Lipoic Acid (0.346g). Baked Carp Recipe – easy recipe how to bake whole carp with butter, bay leaves, sour cream, and lemon juice. |
Introduction to Your Fresh Carp
If you have a fresh carp, or other large, freshwater fish, you will want to cook it as soon as possible. Sometimes, you can bring a hooked fish home alive, which is the freshest way to cook and eat fish.
If you can obtain a live carp and want to cook it whole, it is best if you let it live in a big tub of fresh water for several days to clean out the “mud vein” and have a better-tasting fish. Dissolve one teaspoon of salt in the tub of water every day to help the process. Do not feed the
Scaling Carp
Scaling Carp. J.McGavin Carp scales are very large, over 1/2 inch wide. Scale the fish by drawing the knife across the body from head to tail, pressing to dislodge the scales. Rinse the body and throw the scales away.
A note about carp in the Chinese culture: Carp are a highly respected food source and since they can jump very high out of the water, they are often pictured jumping over gates, symbolizing a jump in status or wealth.
Plated Carp Dinner
In addition to boiled potatoes with parsley and melted butter, you could add spinach or wilted chard to the dinner for a nice mixture of tastes and textures.
Be aware that these fillets still have one layer of pin bones in them. You could pull them out with tweezers before cooking or remove them while eating.
Here is the full recipe for New Year’s Carp.
| Prep Time | 45 min |
| Cook Time | 40 min |
| Passive Time | 30 min |
| Servings |
Ingredients
- 1 whole fresh Carp 3-4 pounds
- 1/4 cup butter or olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 onion
- Fresh Dill or 2 tsp. dried dill weed
- 1/3 cup of sour cream
- 1 tablespoons lemon made into juice, or 1 - 2lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Scale the fish, gut, remove gills and rinse in running water.
- Place the fish in salt water and let it soak for 30 minutes. It will cut the fishy smell.
- Wash fish very well, rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
- Grease a shallow baking dish with butter or oil.
- Season carp inside and out with salt and pepper and leave for 15 minutes.
- Cut onions and dill and stuff fish with onion rings and dill stalks or dill weed. Shred the rest of dill and mix with sour cream.
- Place bay leaves on butter pats and lay them on top of the carp. Cover with sour cream and lemon juice all over.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bake in oven for 40 minutes or when brown. Baste frequently.
- Serve with vegetables, noodles or potatoes.
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